Draft tongue attachment



p 1937- K. KALLIN DRAFT TONGUE ATTACHMENT Original Filed April 17, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor firZ ZZZZiZ M Atto'mey DRAFT TONGUE ATTACHMENT Origin a1 Filed April 17, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Q l I N 2 d Q InventoT .2214 ZZ/z'n v Patented Sept. 7, 1937 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE Karl Kallin,

Application April 17,

Polson, Mont.

1935, Serial No. 16,870

Renewed April 10, 1937 Claims.

This invention relates to that class of inventions including so called draw-bars, draft tongues and the like of the type employed principally in connection with animal or horse drawn ve- 5 hicles.

Structures of this type are generally used in connection with farm machinery and in a great many instances, the tongue is pivotally connected to the chassis of the vehicle and the double-tree is directly and pivotally connected to the inner end portion of the tongue. Where the machine is of a heavy duty type the tongue, to which the animals are hitched, is comparatively heavy and with the conventional hook-up said tongue and its appurtenances becomes more or less a dead weight on the necks of the horses.

My aim is to provide a stress distribution and balancing device which is so associated with the tongue and double-tree as to exert a downward pull out the inner end of the tongue and an upward lifting force on that portion of the tongue in advance of its pivotal connection with the chassis in such a way as to substantially equalize and relieve the animals of the burden 25 of literally carrying the dead load of the tongue in addition to being subjected to the strain produced by the regular pulling action of the vehicle.

In reducing the inventive conception to prac- 30 tice I have evolved and produced a structural assemblage of parts which is susceptible of practicable application, one which is simple and economical, and which has proved to accomplish the desired result in a highly satisfactory and dependable manner.

Other features and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description and drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the structural assemblage embodying the improvements of my invention.

Figure 2 is a side view with portions shown in section to disclose the construction and arrangement a little more in detail.

Figure 3 is a rear eleational View of the swingable hanger plate serving as a carrier for the double-tree.

Figure 4 is a cross section on the line 44 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a bracket rigidly attached to the extreme inner end of the tongue.

Figure 6 is a perspective View of the connecting link or rod.

Referring to Figure 2 it will be observed that the chassis or frame of the vehicle, which may be of any type, is denoted by the numeral 1 and this is provided with a suitable jointing fixture 8 to which the conventional wagon tongue 9 is pivotally connected by a bolt as indicated at I0. In the present arrangement the inner end of the tongue extends inwardly beyond the pivotal connection I 0. This inner extending end is provided with a substantially L-shaped anchoring bracket. The short arm or end portion II is attached rigidly by a bolt l2 to the extreme inner end of the tongue whereas the depending arcuate longer arm l3 hangs down at substantial right angles and is provided with a bolt hole I l (see Figure 5).

The double-tree, as a unit, is denoted by the numeral I5 and this is of conventional construction and is attached to a special adapter device 56. This device is in the nature of a hanger or carrier and comprises a rectangular plate I! provided on one side with a plurality of reinforcing ribs l8. The upper end portion of the plate is formed into attaching arms l9 and these are pivotally connected by a pin 20 to the tongue in advance of its swivel connection l0. At its lower end portion the plate is provided with a single hole 2| to which the eye bolt 22a of the double-tree is swivelly connected. The upper portion is provided with a series of rod openings or holes 22 with which the headed end 23 of the rod or bolt 24 is selectively connected. The opposite nut equipped end 25 is connected with the apertured lower end 14 of the arm 13. Tightening the nut against the bracket l3 draws rearwardly on the carrier l6 and tilts it to an inclined position of 25 degrees. Moreover connecting the headed end of the bolt to the holes 22 disposes the connecting rod 24 in an inclined position.

With this arrangement it is evident that instead of connecting the double-tree [5 directly with the tongue it is connected thereto through the instrumentality of a swingable inclined hanger or carrier l6. Thus the pull or force exerted by the horses is directed against the lower apertured end portion of said carrier. The tendency of the pull to swing the carrier to a vertical or perpendicular position exerts a forward pull of the rod 24 which is transmitted to the bracket I3. This exerts a downward thrust or pull on the inner end of the tongue, that is inwardly of the pivot I0 and an upward thrust from the headed end of the rod which double action tends to lift up the free or outer end portion of the tongue. This serves to provide the desired balancing and stress distribution action which relieves the animals of the burden of literally carrying the tongue bodily and by relieving them 5 of this extra strain the conserved energy may be utilized in the pulling of the vehicle. Or stated otherwise, relieving the animals of the distress to which they are ordinarily subjected by carrying the heavy tongue 9 a greater comfort is pro- 10 moted with a resultant freedom of movement calculated to enable the animal to perform more satisfactorily in drawing heavy duty machinery such as mowing machines and the like.

Briefly, novelty resides in the combination ,of

the frame 1 with the tongue 9 pivotally attached thereto at a point intermediate its ends, the double-tree I5 attached to the tongue in advance of the pivot l0 through the instrumentality of a swingable carrier l6, and an operating and balancing connection between the carrier and the bracket on the inner end of the tongue. These parts have been carefully selected and mechanically coordinated to provide an arrangement which serves the desired end most satisfactorily indeed.

It is thought that persons skilled in the art to which the invention relates will be able to obtain a clear understanding of the invention after considering the description in connection with the drawings. Therefore, a more lengthy description is regarded as unnecessary.

Minor changes in the shape, size and rearrangement of details coming within the field of invention claimed may be resorted to in actual practice, if desired.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a structural assemblage of the class described, a vehicle frame, a draft tongue pivotally attached between its center and inner end to said frame, a depending bracket rigidly secured to the inner end of said tongue, 2. carrier pivotally attached to the tongue in advance of its pivotal connection with said frame, a double-tree connected with the lower end portion of said carrier, and a rod connection between said carrier and bracket.

2. In a structural assemblage of the class described, a vehicle frame, a draft tongue pivotally attached between its center and inner end to said frame, a depending bracket rigidly secured to the inner end of said tongue, a carrier pivotally attached to the tongue in advance of its pivotal connection with said frame, a double-tree connected with the lower end portion of said carrier, and a rod connection between said carrier and bracket, said rod connection including manually regulated adjusting means for the purpose of tilting said carrier to a permanent rearwardly and downwardly inclined position in relation to said tongue.

3. In a structure of the class described, a wagon tongue, an L-shaped bracket rigidly fastened to the inner end of said tongue, a plate pivotally attached to the intermediate portion of the tongue in advance of said bracket, said plate being of a swingable type and constituting a carrier for a double-tree, a double-tree connected to the lower end portion of said plate, the upper intermediate portion of the plate being provided with a series of selectively usable rod accommodation holes, the lower end of said bracket being provided with a rod hole, and a rod having its headed end selectively connectable with said rod holes in the plate and having its opposite end threaded and provided with a nut adjustably connectable with the aperture in the lower end of said bracket.

4. In a structure of the class described, in combination, a relatively stationaryvehicle frame, a draft tongue pivotally attached thereto at a point between its inner end and center in a manner to permit the tongue to rock bodily on the frame in a limited vertical arc, a depending carrier plate pivotally attached to said tongue in advance of the pivotal connection and swingable in a horizontal arc toward and from the tongue, a double-tree assembly attached to said plate to transmit the line of draft to said tongue through the instrumentality of the plate, and adjustable motion transmitting means connected at one end with the extreme inner vertically rockable end of the tongue and adjustably connected at'its forward end to said plate, whereby to aid in swinging the inner end of the tongue downwardly as that portion in advance of the pivot is lifted upwardly while the draft action is exerted on the double-tree assembly.

5. As a component part of a structural assembly of the class described, a wagon tongue, a substantially L-shaped bracket, the short end thereof being rigidly connected to the extreme inner end of the tongue, the remaining relatively long arm being longitudinally curved downwardly and forwardly and disposed 'at right angles to the longitudinal dimension of the tongue, and an elongated horizontally disposable rod adapted to occupy a position beneath the rear end portion of said tongue, said rod being detachably and adjustably connected at its rear end to the lower end of the long arm of said L-shaped bracket, a carrier plate adapted-to be connected to said tongue, a draft appliance connected to said plate, said rod being detachably and adjustably connected to said carrier plate.

KARL KALLIN. 

